The Vintage List is pleased to introduce Lisa of Miss Helene's Vintage Sewing Shoppe and the Vintage Fashion Library. Amazingly Lisa can also be found blogging on vintage fashion at Clothed Minds, Random Acts of Vintage and The Vintage Fashion Librarian. Wow Lisa, you've got a full plate! Thanks for taking the time to give us this interview.
How long have you been in the business Lisa?
9 years
What made you decide to start selling online?
I started selling on ebay, selling homeschool books that we no longer needed. By the time Ebay Stores came out, I had segued into consigning for other people, but wanted a store of my own, selling something I loved. I started selling patterns for fun money, to supplement my regular income, but now it's my full time job!
What are your favorite ways to find items for your shop?
I use craiglist a lot, and travel to any of our surrounding states to buy
collections, but I also have a fair number of people who email me directly to purchase their patterns.
What types of items can usually be found in your shop?
Sewing patterns from the 1850s to new, discontinued patterns. I have a nice selection of reproduction patterns as well, and am just getting ready
to introduce a clothing line based on the repro patterns.
What are your goals and plans for the future?
Expanding the repro line at the Vintage Fashion Library is so important to me! As sewing patterns age, they become brittle and unusable, and many are simply
thrown away (be still my heart!). I want to continue to reproduce patterns in the public domain so that these pieces of art are preserved in their original form for future generations.
If you could give one piece of advice to a seller who is just starting out, what would it be?
Be patient! Online selling takes time to take root, and it won't work if you don't sell something you love.
Great advice! It's been a real pleasure getting to know you Lisa. I know our readers will have a great time reading all your blogs and visiting you shops!
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